1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to intercepting a projectile. Specifically, the present invention relates to stopping a bullet.
2. Description of Related Art
Unfortunately, in today's society certain people are at risk of being shot when in public. Such people include heads of state, dignitaries, celebrities, and the like. Tragedies such as the assassination of Prime Minister Rabin, the assassination of Anwar Sadat, and the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II, serve as reminders of the risks faced by those in the public eye.
During a shooting or attempted assassination, the targeted victim is often not struck or killed by the first shot. In some instances, such as, for example, the Kennedy assassination, the victim is not aware of the attack until several shots have been fired. Therefore, in such instances, several seconds may pass before evasive action is taken by the targeted victim or by bodyguards for the targeted victim. Furthermore, even when the attack is noticed immediately, it may still take several seconds for the targeted victim or for the targeted victim's bodyguards to take evasive action.
In an attempt to protect potential victims, safety devices such as bulletproof vests, and bulletproof glass or armor plated enclosures have been employed. However such devices are often impractical and/or ineffective. For example, a dignitary may not want to be separated from an audience by an enclosure of bulletproof glass or armor plating. Furthermore, even when wearing bulletproof clothing, a portion of the potential victim's body is still exposed to a potential assassin.
Thus, a need exists for a system which protects a targeted shooting victim even when the victim is not yet aware of the attack, a system which does not require enclosing the victim in a bullet proof enclosure, and a system which protects the entire body of a targeted victim.